Manager, Safety Operations

FirstEnergy • Watervliet, NY

5h • Onsite

About The Position

This is an open position with FirstEnergy Service Company, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. This is a full-time, on-site position located at either Harrison WV, Fort Martin WV, or Fairmont WV.
Summary:
The Manager, Safety Operations (Reg Gen, HU, CAP), leads the deployment and continuous improvement of Safety & Human Performance across FirstEnergy and assigned business units. This role directs a high-performing team that provides timely, consistent, and proactive field feedback; partners closely with business unit leadership to improve outcomes at the worker interface; and is jointly accountable with operational leadership for performance against stated safety and human performance objectives. The Manager ensures compliance and successful execution of Safety & Human Performance policies and programs, including contractor and public safety initiatives. In addition, this role provides leadership in the application of Human Performance principles and holds functional accountability for the Safety Corrective Action Program (CAP) as it relates to incident investigations, systemic learning, and sustainable risk reduction. The Human Performance and Corrective Action Program include enterprise wide responsibilities.
The Manager, Safety Operations (Reg Gen, HU, CAP) provides direction and leadership from the following perspectives:

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Safety & Health or a closely related safety discipline is required; equivalent demonstrated leadership experience in safety, operations, or related utility environments may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of relevant utility field experience is required. Relevant experience includes generation, transmission/distribution operations, field leadership, safety oversight, or comparable operational environments.
• Prior leadership experience in utility or field operations is required.
• Accomplished and approachable leader with a demonstrated track record of safe operations excellence and people leadership.
• Experience administering company safety rules, applicable programs, and work practices.
• Strategic vision and a continuous improvement mindset.
• In-depth knowledge of federal, state, and local safety regulations and compliance requirements; safety-related professional certifications are preferred but not required.
• Lead by example, guiding teams through change while modeling trust, integrity, transparency, and accountability.
• Analyze complex issues and strategies, reaching sound, fact-based conclusions and recommendations.
• Interpret and apply local, state, and federal policies, laws, and regulations as they relate to safety and operations; communicate implications to stakeholders.
• Evaluate departmental practices, make recommendations for improvements, and implement appropriate procedures and controls.
• Exercise sound, expert independent judgment within general policy guidelines, especially in ambiguous or high-risk situations.
• Communicate and respond to inquiries or complaints from employees, customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the community in a professional, timely manner.
• Collaborate with Workforce Development (skills training) to address methods and training needed to improve worker safety.
• This position requires travel including some overnights (approximately 25% of the time).
• Must be available to work assigned station outage and storm duty, which could include evenings, holidays, and overnight travel.

Nice To Haves

• safety-related professional certifications are preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Lead and shape the Safety & Human Performance strategy within FirstEnergy and assigned business units by fostering a culture of ownership, learning, empowerment, and accountability at all levels.
• Ensure all Safety & Human Performance policies, programs, training, and strategies are successfully implemented across business units covering employee, contractor, and public safety initiatives.
• Provide strategic leadership and coaching to direct reports, business unit leadership, and frontline teams to build organizational safety capability and drive consistent execution of the Safety Management System (SMS).
• Champion Human Performance principles by promoting visible leadership, workforce engagement, learning-focused practices, and leader coaching to improve how work is planned, performed, and reviewed.
• Oversee consistent application and verification of SMS controls across business units; escalate systemic gaps and ensure sustainable closure through the Safety Corrective Action Program (CAP).
• Partner with business unit leadership and frontline teams to lead and support incident investigations, ensuring consistent protocols, identification of systemic and human performance contributors, and development of effective corrective actions.
• Provide leadership and governance for the Safety Corrective Action Program (CAP), ensuring corrective actions are risk-informed, directly linked to investigation findings, prioritized appropriately, tracked, verified, and sustainably closed.
• Leverage data analytics, dashboards, field intelligence, investigation outcomes, and CAP trends to identify systemic risks, prioritize resources, and translate trends into executive-level recommendations.
• Establish and develop substantive working relationships with peers, team members, business unit leadership, union leadership, Workforce Development/Training, and Organizational Effectiveness to enhance safety culture, learning, compliance, inclusion, accountability, and consistent application of the SMS.
• Deliver results through standardized metrics and dashboards, including a robust assessment and audit process to demonstrate compliance with laws, regulations, internal requirements, and corrective action effectiveness.
• Establish clear accountabilities for team members with objectives aligned to enterprise and departmental strategy; ensure clarity of priorities and remove barriers to execution.
• Initiate and monitor implementation of appropriate safeguards in accordance with applicable regulations and professional practice to ensure employee, community, and environmental risks are eliminated or reduced to acceptable levels.
• Plan, organize, control, integrate, and evaluate the work of the Safety & Human Performance team, ensuring effective coordination with Operations, Workforce Development/Training, Fleet, and Contractor Management.
• Provide financial oversight and meet financial commitments for the departmental budget.
• Manage performance and development across the team by setting clear goals, providing continuous coaching and feedback, ensuring accountability, and building a high-performing, inclusive safety culture.

Benefits

• competitive pay plus incentive compensation
• a company-sponsored pension plan
• 401(k) savings plan with matching employer contribution
• a choice of medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance programs
• skills development training with tuition reimbursement

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager